Starting mechanism for explosive-engines.



PATEN'I'ED MAY 19, 1908. H. G. PRIGKE & G. TURNER. STARTING MECHANISM FOR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES.

APPLICATION I ED M 3.;2

IL A 3 1907 B SHEETS-SHEET 1.

.No 888,007. PATENTED MAY 19, 1908. H. G. FRIGKB & G. E. TURNER.

STARTING MECHANISM FOR BXPLOSIVE ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAE-23,1907

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTORS No. 888,007. PATENTED MAY 19, 1908. H. c. FRIOKE 88 G; E. TURNER.

\ STARTING MECHANISM FOR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23, 1907.

5 SHEIiTS-QHLEIIIEJT 3.

' BI/Wm W T 18 Mg I JZVES fiqifiqjzvmzes 2 No. 888,007. PATENTED MAYlQ, 19-08. H. 0. PRIOKE 88 G. TURNER. STARTING MECHANISM FOR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 23. 1907.

5SHEET8-SHEBT 4.

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. \k S L/ 1 No. 888,007; V PATENTED MAY 19, 1908.

c. PBIOKE & e. E. TURNER. STARTING MECHANISM FOR EXPLOSIVB ENGINES.

APPLIOATI N IILBDMAR. 2 19 o 3 5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

JTi ZLZL m [NVENTORS engine, which may.

. STATE PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY C. FRIGKE AND GEORGE E. TURNER, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS TO TURNER-FRIGKE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF PITTSBURG PENNSYLVANIA; A GOR- PORATION PENNSYLVANIA.

STARTING MECHANISM FOR E XPLOSIVE-ENGINE S.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HARRY C. FRICKE and GEORGE E. TURNER, citizens of the United States, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Starting Mechanism for Explosive-Engines; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact descri tion of the invention, such as will enable otiiers skilled in, the art to which it ap ertains to make and use the same.

m invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described reference bein had to the accompanying drawings which i lustrate one formin which we have contemplated embodying our invention and said invention is full disclosed in the following description and c aims. r

The object of our invention is to provide for starting an explosive be applied to engines of one, two or more cylinders. To that end we provide meansfor introducing into one or more of the cylinders a compressed fluid, preferably air, which is passed through a controlling valve mechanism, normally in inoperative position, and which is thrown improved means into operative osition by the simple opening of the cut 0 valve from the compressed fluid-supply, said valve mechanism being operated from the engine crank shaft and referably through one of the ordinary cam shafts for the inlet or exhaust valves, so as to provide for the admission and exhaust of the compressed.fluid. We also provide means for disconnecting the cylinder or cylinders,

into which the compressed fluid is supplied, and other cylinders of the" engine, if desired from the supply ofexplosive mixture by allowing the inlet valvefor explosive mixture for such cylinder or cylinders to remain closed, by breaking or interrupting the connection between the inlet valve or valves and its or their operating devices, and our,invention includes other devices, all of which are more specifically described hereinafter;

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate our invention applied to .a three cylinder explosive engine of the vertical type, Figure 1 is a side. elevation of the en me withour invention embodiedtherein. 1g...

' 2 is a vertical transversesectional view of the.

'tion in Fig.

F the inlet valve and f the valve seat.

ffisaid a the rod f to pass.

engine taken throughone 'of'tlie cylinders. A

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed March 23,1907. Serial No. 364,005.

Patented May 19, 1908.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the engine. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of'the valve mechanismand cut off valve for the compressed fiuid. Fi 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view on ine 5-5 of Fig. 4. Fi 6 is a sectional view of the cam operated va ve and valve chest shown in Figs. 4 and 5 taken in a plane at right angles to the lane of sec- 5. Fig. 7 is a detai view of the cam operated valve, detached. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail view of the mechanism for breaking the inlet valve rod, which we prefer to employ in connection with our invention. Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of the devices for holding the exhaust valve open. Fig. 10 is a horizontal section of apart of the engine through the exhaust valve, showing the parts illustrated in Fig. 9. I

In'the drawings A represents the engine 'base'and B, B 13 re resents the ower cylinders, provided wit pistons working therein, connected by piston rods D with the crank shaft E, and through intermediate reducing gearing with the inlet valve operating cam shaft H and the exhaust valve operating cam shaft K, all of which parts may be of any mit theinlet valve to remain seated, and for this purpose We prefer to employ the construction shown.

F is the inlet passage for explosive mixtlure he valve F has a stem f provided with a spring f which engages a collar f 2 on the stem and. holds the valve normally on its seat.

Below and a valve operating rod, preferably formed in two parts f f 5 adjustably connected. The

lower end of this valve rod is provided with a yoke f f pivotally connected by a pin f 7 with an arm fflthe outer end of which is pivoted to the en ine base, and pin f 7 carries a frictionroll which engages'the cam H. The upper art f 4 of the valve rod extends through a 7 ac et I having preferably two locking apertures i, c" of greater diameter than the rod ertures being connected by a slot of iame-ter but wide enough to ermit A movable gui e L is mountedon therod f and-is movable verti:

smaller normally in line with the stem is p cally onthe rod and laterally with the rod. The guide L has a-turned portion l at its lower end which can be dropped into either of the locking apertures 11 i to hold the rod in operative or inoperative position. ll'hen dropped into aperture "i, the rod will be held inline with the valve stem and the valve F will be operated by the cam H. To stop the operation of the valve F, it is only necessary to-lift the guide L out of engagement with aperture 'i and draw the rod f forward, out of line with the valve stem, where it may be locked by dropping the guide L into engagement with the aperture 1'. The aperture 'i is not essential as the valve rod will-remain in operative position by gravity. We also prefer to provide each cylinder with means for throwing its exhaust valve out of operation and holding it in open position, although this is notessential. In the drawings G is the exhaust passage, G the exhaust valve, 9 its seat and 9 its stem provided with seating spring 9 engaging a collar 9 similar to the inlet valve.

The exhaust valve is operated by a valve rod 9 g made preferably in two parts connected adjustably, and having at its lower end the yoke g pivoted at g to yoke g and carrying roll 9* to engage cam K, in all re.- spects like similar parts of the inlet valve mechanism. The lower part of the valve rod extends through a fixed sleeve M on the engine base, having a spiral slot in it, and a rotatable hub M is fitted ,over said sleeveand provided with a handle m -and a projection m to engage said slot, so that when turned in one direction'the hub will be raised and when tu i ned in the o posite direction it will belowered. The hub M is arranged to engage a part of the rod g? g in this instance, the joint connectin such parts, so that by means of said hub t e rod 9 g and'the exhaust valve as long as desired.

can be raised out of operative relation with cam K and the valve held in open position One ofthe cam shafts H and K (in this instance shaft 'H) is extended through the crank case or engine base at one end of same and provided with a' double cam N having two oppositely arranged cam grades a n for operating the compressed fluid valve mechanism. Adjacent to the cam N and below the same is arranged a cylindrical ,valve chest 0, provided with perforated ears 0 by means of which it is bolted or otherwise secured'to the crank case. The valve chest has a cylindrical bore, open at the top and closed at the bottom andis provided with an inlet aperture 0 for the compressed air or other fluid, located adjacent to the bottom of the valve chest, and internally threaded to receive an air supply pipe Q from a compressed air tank (not shown) or other source of compressed motor fluid, said pipe being provided with a cut ofi valve Q. The inlet aperture 0 com- .vided with a cutoff valve R.

municates with an annular supply port 0 located at the bottom of the cylinder. Above the said inlet port, is the inlet or engine port 0 communicating with an internally thread ed aperture 0 which receives a pipe R leading 7 to and discharging within the cylinder B, see Fig. 1. This pipe may enter the cylinder head at the top or side as preferred and is pro-- Above the inlet port is an annular exhaust port 0 Within the valve chest O, which communicates with an exhaust aperture in the wall of the cylinder indicated at 0.

P represents a piston valve having a cylindrical portion fitting in the upper part of the valve chest bore, and provided with -a vertically disposed slot 10, which is enga ed by a screw 0 extending through the wal ofthe valve chest 0, and engaging said slot, to prevent the valve from turning but permitting it to move vertically. Below the cylindrical part of the valve is a reduced stem p which is preferably integral with the valve and carries at its lower end the cylindrical part p which we terma piston head, the stem portion 1) being of such length as to form an an nular recess connecting the inlet port 0 and exhaust port 0 when the valve is in its lowest position as shown in Fig. 5. At its upper end the valve P is provided with a friction roll 10'', so arranged that when the valve is in its lowest position the cam N will just clear said roll.

Supposing the cut oii valves Q and R to be closed, shutting off the admission of compressed air, the valve P will fall by gravity or be pushed by the cam N, into its lowest position and remain there with the roll 12 out of operative relation with the cam. position of the parts is maintained at all times when the engine is running under ex.- plosive mixture.

.Ifthe engine is not running, and it is desired to start it, the operator breaks the inlet valve rod of cylinder B as previously described, so as to allow the inlet valve to remain closed, and thus shut off the supply of explosive mixture to the cylinder, One or both of the other cylinders may be allowed to remain in operative condition, but we prefer to break the inlet valve rod of cylinder B so that only one of the cylinders (B shall take the explosive mixture, and to further relieve the engine from load in starting, the exhaust valve of cylinder B is raised bythe mechanism described, to relieve compression in that cylinder. The cock R is then opened to establish communication between the cylinder B and the valve chest then opened to admit compressed motive fluid from the tank (shown at T in Fig. 3) or other supply into the'lower end of the valve chest 0. The admission of compressed fluid immediately acts on the piston head 12 and lifts the valve P until the roll p engages the 130- This ssaoov cam N, and places the cam and valve P in operativerelation. Each time the valve P is permitted to rise to its highest position the cylindrical part or piston head p will be raised above the inlet port and will cut off communication between said inlet port and the exhaust port as shown in Fig. 6. The

' compressed air or other fluid will then pass from the supply port 0 to the inlet port 0 thence through the pipe .R to the cylinder, at atime when the cylinder piston is raised, and the compressed air will force the piston down and produce a working stroke, at the same time turning cam N so as to bring one of the grades at into engagement with the roll 19?,

' and depress the valve P into its lowest position when the inlet port '0 will be in communication with the exhaust port 0 through the annular passage surrounding the reduced stem p and the cylindrical part p of the valve will be below the inlet port .0 thus cutting off communication between the supply port and the inlet port, and the air in t e -c linder can exhaust back through the pipe and o'ut'through the exhaust aperture '0,

during .the upward stroke of the cylinder piston. During the movements of the piston in cylinder B under compressed air,-the cylinder B is taking explosive mixture in the usual manner, and as it goes through the steps of sue-tion, compression, ignition and exhaust, the said cylinder B and its piston are soon under operation byl the explosivemixture, while cylinder B is being operated by the compressed air. The intermediate c linder B is then brought into operation by t e explosive mixture by restoring the inlet valve rod and exhaust valve rod to their normal positions and takes a chargeand begins to operate under the explosive mixture. The

' valves R and Q are then closedshutting-oii the supply of compressed air to the cylinder B, the valve rod is then restored to its normal position,.and the cylinder B{ will take up its proper operation under the explosive mixture; iAssoon as the valve Q is closed'the valve P will remain down in its lowest position, it being limited in its downward movementby a shoulder pat the upper end of the slot engaging the screw 0 and the roll 3 will 0 out of contact with the cam N. Tt

will thus be seen that the starting device 1tself is thrown into 0 oration by simply 4 openmg valves R and 55.

, and may be in stantly thrown into inoperative condition by closing said valves no other adjustments or operations being required.

While we have shown our improved starting device arranged in connection with a three cylinder engine; it is equally applicable cylin ers.

' What we claim and desire to secure I lie 1's y v 1. Inah explosive engine, the combination :port, an inlet der, and an ex aust port, a valve in said cyltoen ines having a greater or less number of with the -cylinder and piston, and means for supplying an ex losive mixture thereto, of means for supp ymg a compressed motor fluid to said cylinder, a valve chest for said fluid supply, a earn 0 erated by the engine, and a valve in said va ve chest normally out of operative relation with said cam, said valve being constructed to be forced into op.

erative relation to the cam by the admission of-compressed fluid to said valve chest, substantially as described. V

, 2. In an explosive engine, the combination with the cylinder and piston, and. means for supplying explosive material thereto, ofan auxiliary valve-chest, rovided with a supply port for compressed uid, and an inlet port communicating with said cylinder, a rotary cam operated by the engine, a valve in said valve chestnormally in me erative relation to said cam, and having a piston head interposed between the su ply-port and said inlet port, whereby the a mission of compressed fluid will move saidvalve into operative relation with said cam,substantially as described:

3. In an explosive engine, the combination with the cylinder and piston, and means for supplying explosive material thereto, of an auxiliary valve chest, provided-with a supply port, and an inlet port connected with said cylinder, means for; su plying compressed motor fluid to said supp y port, a cam operated by the engine, a vertically movable 'valve in said valve chest, normally held by gravity out of o erative relation with said cam, said valve avinga iston head adjacent to said supply port, w iereby. the admission of compressed fluid will raise said valve into operative relationwith said cam, substantially as described. I I

4. In anexplpsive engine, the combination with the cylinder and piston, and means for operative relation to said cam, substantially as described.

5. In an explosive engine, the combination with the cylinder and piston, and means for supplying explosive material thereto, of an auxiliarywalve chest provided with. a supply port, an inlet port connected with the cylinder, and an exhaust port, means for supplying "compressed motor fluid'to said supply 'port, a cutofi valve for.- the fluid'supply, a valve 1n sa d valve chest, having a piston interposed between the head interposed between the supply port and I the inlet port, a reduced -portion adapted to establish communication between the inlet and exhaust orts, and having a part extending outside said valve-chest and provided with a friction roll, and a cam operated by the en ine,-located"above said friction roll,

said va vebeingjheld normally by gravity in ;inoperativenrelation with'said cam, whereby the admission ef fluid-will raise and hold said valvenito, .perative relation with said cam,

I valve in said valve chest, having. a cam en substantially as described.

said inlet valve rod,"'tofc ause the inlet valve "to remain seated, oi anauxiliary valve chest provided with .anfinl'et port connected with said cylinder and a supply port connected with a'supply of compressed motor fluid, an,

auxiliary cam operated ,by the engine, and a gaging part'normally out ofengageme'nt with said cam, said valve being constructed tolae forced into operative relation with said-cam by the admissionofmotor fluid tosaid valve chest, substantially as described." 1

haust valve'for each cylinder, cam operated rods forpperatin'g said valves, devices for throwing t e inlet valve rods out of enga ement with the inlet valves, andgdevices or I locking the exhaust valves in operative. position, of an auxilia'r valve chest, 'havin an "inlet port connecte to one of said cylin ers,

and a supply port, connected with a supply of compressed motor fluid, for-starting the engine, an auxiliary cam operated by the en ine, a valve in'said valve chest forcontrolling the ports thereof, held normally out of operative relation with said auxiliary cam, and provided with a piston head interposed between the supply port and said inlet port, substantially as described. 1

8. The combination withan internal comating the-same as an explosion engine, valve as a compressed air engine but normally out fof o erative condition during the operation gine' and Ineans'whereby, the admission. of air 'to'the last, named mechanism throws it into operative condition,

- 9. The combination withan internalcom- Y bustion engine, of valve'gear adapted for operating the engine as an explosion engine, an airladmission valve for theengine cylinder, devices normally disconnected during the operation of the engine as an internal-com- -.l,)"ustion engine, for actuating said valve at fprfoper-times, and means whereby the admission of c'ompressedair to said valve throws said: disconnected devices into operative connection,

10. The-combination with an internal com; bustionengine, of valve mechanism for operating it asan' explosive engine, a valve for admitting-compressed air'to the engine'cy-lsaid valve-at intervals, devices normally out of, operative position for transmitting the motion ofthe cam to the valve, and means whereby the admission of-compressed air I v automatically moves said devices into opera 7-. Ina multi-cylinder ,explosive engine; r thecombination with the cylinders and pistons therefor, ofan inlet valve and an ex' tive position.

11. Thecombination with an internal com bustion. engine, of valve mechanism adapted for operating the engine as an explosion engine, a valve for admitting non-explosive fluid under pressure, means for controlling themovement of said valve and adapted to mitted fluid under pressure, and devices for controlling the access ofifiuid under pressure to said means. i

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures, in the presence of two witnesses.

HARRY O. FRICKE. GEORGE E. TURNER.

Witnesses:

ALICE A. TRILL, HARRY F. AFFELDER.

inderjan engine operated cam for actuating.

bustion engine, of valve mechanism for opermechanism adapted'for operating the engine of t e" engine as'an internal'combustion enbe thrown into operative position by the ad-- 

